Nokia Launched 2690, 1800, and the 7230 handsets and Ovi Chat in Bangladesh

Earlier today, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Nokia launched three new handsets- 2690, 1800, and the 7230. The company also launched Ovi Chat for Bangladesh users.

I just received a press release and I can find that the price of Nokia 2690 is BDT 4,995 while Nokia 1,800 will cost you BDT 2,500. On the other hand, Nokia 7230 is BDT 9,900.

I think that Nokia 1800 will become immensely popular because of its price. The price is around $35 and this price range is very popular among Bangladeshi consumers.

Nokia also launched Ovi Chat that will allow users to chat with each other through Instant Messaging (IM). Ovi Chat will be free for Nokia series 40 and series 60 handsets. This is a very cool feature and I am very happy that Nokia has launched this chat facility. It will make life much easier for busy people like me. Ovi Chat will give you the freedom of IM and it will help to keep you connected with others.

Today in the launching ceremony, General Manager Nokia Emerging Asia Mr. Prem Chand promised that some more features will come for Bangladeshi users and Bangladesh is now one of the top countries in terms of Ovi mail users.

To know more about Ovi mail in Bangladesh, read this entry from South Asia Blog:

Nokia offers Bangla Ovi Mail in Bangladesh

 I am giving the press release below-

Entertainment just got a whole lot more interesting and affordable with the introduction of the new range of Nokia phones, the 2690, the 1800 and the 7230. Nokia unveiled this series of full blown communications and entertainment devices in a launching event in the capital on the 13^th of April, where Ovi Chat, a free application to address Instant Messaging (IM) needs of consumers, was also launched.

Ovi Chat brings computer like chatting experience into mobile handsets. In Ovi Chat, once a user signs in, their buddy list or Ovi Mail contact list is automatically uploaded onto the phone. Ovi Chat streamlines ease of use of mobile Instant Messaging clients, including features such as quickly setting status and availability, or privacy settings. Users can express their emotions through a wide range of emoticons and stay connected with their loved ones through continuous conversation. Ovi chat is available for free in all Nokia Series 40 and Series 60 handsets.

Instant Messaging (IM) is a form of real-time communication between two or more people based on the exchange of short messages. You can easily see which of your contacts are available to participate in an IM conversation. To start chatting, select an available contact, and send a message. Mobile instant messaging allows you to communicate with your contacts no matter where you are. With instant messaging enabled on your mobile device, you can chat with your contacts as you would do from your PC.

 “We know Bangladeshis love to get together with friends and family and adda! Ovi Chat will connect and inspire hundreds and thousands of Ovi Mail users in Bangladesh to carry on continuous online “adda” or conversation.” Mr. Prem Chand, General Manager, Nokia Emerging Asia commented. “We launched Ovi Mail, free bangle email identity which can be created directly from mobile phones in June 2009 and the response has been phenomenal. Bangladesh is now one of the top countries globally for Ovi Mail users and launching Ovi Chat is Nokia’s next step to connect the Ovi Mail users and create a vibrant instant messaging community. Nokia has always been about connecting people. We are all about enabling everyone to keep in touch and make the most of every moment. Ovi Chat will hopefully do its part in bringing people closer” he added.

Ovi Chat is part of Nokia’s overall Instant Messaging offer available for Series60 handsets at the moment. Through Nokia’s Instant Messaging solution, it is possible to have several conversations simultaneously in multiple communities, such as Windows Live, Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk etc. “Soon we will make the overall Instant Messaging solution available in Series 40 handsets as well” Mr. Chand added.

Nokia 2690

Nokia 2690, with its curved rounded edges and textured black surface is a modern-looking, stylish and comfortable little device designed to keep all of the user’s mobile content in one place. Available in a wide range of colours, it is designed to compliment the style and character of each individual user.

The 2690 has an integrated music player so one can stay entertained on-the-go, with a memory expandable up to 8 GB. With OVI Mail, one can easily set up a personal, free email account from the device, and stay connected with friends and family from anywhere.

The Nokia 2690 will be available in hot pink, graphite, blue and white silver for BDT 4995.

Nokia 1800

Nokia 1800, with its 1.8” TFT display, metal trimming and high-gloss finish, is a compact and trendy design. It comes with a simple colored user interface, long battery life and large memory for contacts and messages. The 1800 is designed for practicality.

With a tentative launch date of 25^th May, the Nokia 1800 will be available in black, grey, blue and orchid red for BDT 2500.

Nokia 7230

Nokia 7230 with its stylish and compact design is optimized for brilliant imaging on the go and staying updated with social applications. It supports an easy access to Facebook and other social networking sites. The 3.2 megapixel camera makes it possible to capture enduring moments and share them instantly on favorite photo-sharing sites.

It has a contemporary look with a sleek design with smooth rounded corner design and shiny metallic finishing. With a slide keypad, it is compact and easy to carry around.

Nokia 7230 is a compact slider that comes in vibrant colors to suit individual personality. The 7230 makes it possible to email and chat whenever desired with Nokia Messaging and access to social networking sites. It makes downloads possible with its 3G connectivity and access to Ovi Store. Nokia 7230 lets one share and socialize 24/7.

The Nokia 7230 will be available for BDT 9900.

Santhosh jogi found dead in apartment

Famous Malayalam actor, Santhosh Jogi had been found dead in Thrissur. His deadbody was found in his apartment. Santhosh Jogi acted in blockbuster movies like Keeethichakra, and Big B. His other major movies include: Mayavi, Rajamanickyam, Kurukshetra, Malabar Wedding, Alibhai, Balram v/s Tharadas. The actor is survived by his wife and two children. Here is a videoclip from Keeethichakra

Malabar Wedding is another hit film. Released in 2008, Santhosh Jogi played the character of ‘Choonda’ in the movie. Malabar Wedding also features Indrajith, Gopika, Suraj Venjaramood and Janardhanan. South Indian magazine, Metro Matinee said:

“Malayalam actor Santhosh Jogi found dead. The dead body found in his flat at Thrissur. Santhosh jogi Acted in Blockbusters like Keeethichakra (Gudha Se Mannat ) and Big B.”

Santhosh Jogi also appeared in Chotta Mumbai directed by Anwar Rasheed. Produced by Vishakha, the Chotta Mumbai also stars Mohanlal, Bhavana, Siddique, Kalabhavan Mani, Jagathy Sreekumar, Saikumar, Rajan P Dev, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Ramu, Narayanankutty, Kochupreman, Indrajith, Manikuttan, Bheeman Raghu, and Vinayakan.

Related article:

spotthisnow.com

Arjun Rampal gave his coat to Katrina Kaif

Reading the title, some of you might have already reached the conclusion of an affair between Arjun Rampal and Katrina Kaif but that is not the case. On April 10, 2010, there was press conference where the entire cast of Rajneeti was present. Katrina was wearing a short sleeveless dress but the air conditioner was so cold that she was shivering. Katrina Kaif asked both Ranbir Kapoor and Arjun Rampal for help but Ranbir Kapoor could not do anything except nodding his head. It was Arjun Rampal who came to help Katrina Kaif. He lent Katrina Kaif his coat and without wasting a single second she covered her legs with it. Later, Nana Patekar requested hotel authorities to reset the air conditioner.

In the press conference, Ranbir Kapoor spoke highly of Arjun Rampal. He said that he has found his brother for life in him. Both Ranbir Kapoor and Arjun Rampal and director of the movie, Prakash Jha, praised Katrina Kaif for her dedication and hard work. Rajneeti is a political drama which stars Katrina Kaif, Arjun Rampal and Ranbir Kapoor. Scheduled to be released in mid-2010, the movie shows Katrina Kaif playing the role of a female politician. Till now, Katrina Kaif has been doing glamorous roles in movies. For the first time, she is doing a character that requires less glamour and lots of acting talent. Now, the million dollar question is- Can Katrina Kaif successfully play the character of a female politician? Let’s wait and see.

Related article:

Entertainment & Showbiz

Syndicate Bank recruitment 2010 for probationary clerks

Syndicate bank recruitment 2010 is has started from today. Syndicate Bank is a reputed government bank in India. The bank is inviting online application from Indian citizens. It is going to recruit of 1000 probationary clerks. Here are the dates:

Opening Date for Online Registration 13.04.2010

Last Date for Online Applications 12.05.2010

Date of Written Test 27.06.2010

Educational Qualifications:

Minimum 12th standard (10+2) pass or equivalent qualification with a minimum of aggregate 60% marks

OR

A degree from a recognized university (graduation level)

OR

Matriculate Ex-servicemen candidates, who have obtained the Indian Army Special Certificate of Education or corresponding certificate in the Navy or the Air Force, after having completed not less than 15 years of service in Armed Forces of the Union are also eligible for the post.

(1) Should be able to write and speak English fluently.

(2) Knowledge of Official/Regional Language of the State/UT to which the candidate applies is essential.

(3) Computer Proficiency is essential.

Note:

1. The candidates should have studied as regular students.

2. In addition to the qualification, the Candidates should have working knowledge in Computers.

a) The educational qualification prescribed for the post is the minimum. Candidates must possess the educational qualifications as on 01.03.2010 (inclusive).

b) Candidates must specifically indicate the class/division and percentage of marks obtained calculated to the nearest two decimals in the relevant field of the online application. Where no percentage of marks is awarded by the University, but only CGPA/OGPA is awarded, the same should be converted into percentage, besides indicating the CGPA/OGPA in the online application.

c) Candidates who are awaiting their results of the qualifying examination OR who have not passed the qualifying examination on or before 01.03.2010 are not eligible. In other words, the result of the qualifying examination, i.e., 12th standard (10+2) or equivalent qualification/graduation, as the case may be, should have been announced by the Board/University on or before 01.03.2010.

AGE LIMIT (AS ON 01.03.2010)

Minimum 18 Years

Maximum 28 Years

Selection Procedure:

Selection for the post of `Probationary Clerk’ will be made on the basis of performance in written test and Interview.

Interview: Candidates who qualify in the Written Test shall be called for interview in the order of their ranking as per the marks obtained by them in the objective test.

For more details visit the following link:

http://www.syndicatebank.in/Scripts/Recruitment.aspx

Ambedkar Jayanti 2010: Remembering a Great man

Ambedkar Jayanti 2010 is going to be celebrated in all over India on 14 April.

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was a great man. Yes, he was a controversial figure during his life time because of his uncompressing stands on the rights of Dalit people. He fought against untouchablity and Hindu caste system and towards the end of his life converted to Buddhism. He is still a very respectable figure among the Dalit community and that is why, some political parties want to make the best out of his name.

I personally do not agree with all ideas of Ambedkar but there is no doubt in my mind that he was a great leader for his people. The bad luck for the Dalit people in India is that after Ambedkar, no leader of his caliber rose among them. So, things are still not good for these people.

The followers of Ambedkar in Ambedkar Jayanti 2010 should try to understand that Mr. Ambedkar became successful with education and hard work. They must do the same thing and become successful in life and in society. 

Shashi Tharoor, Sunanda Pushkar and IPL controversy

Shashi Tharoor, Minister of State for External Affairs of India, is now in the headlines of Indian newspaper for his relationship with Sunanda Pushkar and involvement in IPL Kochi Team. It is believed that Sunanda Pushkar is going to be the third wife of Shashi Tharoor. Sunanda is the daughter of an army officer in Jammu. She currently runs a spa business in Dubai. She had been married twice before. Her first husband was a Kashmiri working in Delhi. Her second husband died in an accident.

Shashi Tharoor had been married twice. His first marriage was with Tilottama Mukherji, an academician based in Kolkata. His second wife, Christa Giles, is a Canadian civil servant. Sunanda Pushkar and Shashi Tharoor were seen together two months ago at Congress minister, Jitin Prasada’s wedding party. On that day, Sunanda was wearing a red sari and a low-neck blouse. If everything goes according to plan, then Sunanda Pushkar will be the next wife of Shashi Tharoor.

Sunanda got media’s attention when her name came up as owner of IPL Kochi team. Sunanda Pushkar is part of a consortium Rendezvous Sports Pvt. Ltd. which owns 25% of the Indian IPL Kochi team. Out of thi,s 18% belongs to Sunanda Pushkar.

Lalit Modi revealed the names of the owners of the new IPL Kochi Team in a Twitter message. He also wrote that he was told not to get into too much details about the owners of Rendezvous Sports World Pvt. Ltd. especially, Sunanda Pushkar. The value of Pushkar’s stake is worth $15.82 million (about Rs. 70 crore). This led to curiosity about Sunanda Pushkar.

Since, Shashi Tharoor played a big role in mentoring Rendezvous Sports Pvt. Ltd. many believe that Shashi Tharoor has some financial interest. If this proves to be true then Shashi Tharoor will be in a big trouble.

Related articles:

Indian Express

The Telegraph

Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal Time and Live TV Channel: 14 April 2010

If you are an Arsenal fan then tomorrow night is perhaps a big night for you because Arsenal is going to play against Tottenham Hotspur. The two clubs are arch rivals and it is one of the most intense rivalries in English football. It is also called as North London derby because both of the clubs are situated at North London. This time, both of the clubs have too much at stake. Arsenal is fighting for the title while Tottenham Hotspur is hopeful that they can become the forth team in the league table and qualify for Europe next season. So, too much is at stake for both the clubs.

The match will start at 20:00 England time and remember that it is summer time now. So, if you want to know the GMT then it will be 19:00 GMT. It will take place in the home stadium of Tottenham Hotspur White Hart Lane.

Many TV channels around the world will broadcast the match live. If you live in South Asia then ESPN is the TV channel for you. You can watch the match live in ESPN TV channel.

Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur is always a very crucial match and this time Arsenal will be without Fabregas and some other key players. However, there is some hope for the supporters as Van Persie may make a come back after many months of the absence due to injury. 

BSNL JAO result 2010 has been declared online

BSNL JAO result 2010 had been declared. Earlier this year, BSNL invited application for 1000 posts of Junior Accountant Officers (JAO). On March 14, 2010, an competitive exam for JAO was held.

To know about your result visit:

http://bsnl.co.in/company/jaoresult09/jaoresult_final_log1.php

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited popular known as BSNL is a government run telecom company. It is the oldest and largest communication service provider in India. Currently, it is the sixth largest mobile phone operator in India with more than 57.22 million subscribers as of December 2009. It is also the largest land line provider in India with footprints all over the country except New Delhi and Mumbai which are managed by MTNL. The headquarter of the company is located at Bharat Sanchar Bhawan, Harish Chandra Mathur Lane, Janpath, New Delhi. As one of the top public sector companies, BSNL was conferred upon Mini Ratna by the Indian government.

Infosys Q4 results 2010: Lower profit margin disappointed investors

On April 13, 2010, Infosys, the second largest software services export firm in India, released its financial results for the fourth quarter for FY 2010. Compared to the same quarter in 2009, there was a 1.14% rise in net profit to Rs. 1,600 crore against Rs. 1,582 crore. Revenue increased 3.54% to Rs. 5,944 crore against Rs.5,741 crore on quarter-over-quarter basis. Net sales stood at Rs. 22,742 crore for FY 2010 ending on March 31, 2010 against Rs. 21,693 in the same time previous year.

In terms of dollar, Infosys predicts 16-18% growth in revenues between $5.57 billion and $5.67 billion and a 4.3-8.6% growth in earnings per share for FY 2011.

In terms of Rupee, Infosys lowered its prediction for FY2011 due to rise in Rupee value, increased wages and intense competition from other players in the sector. It expects earnings per share at Rs.106.82 -111.28 which disappointed the investors. The company management said that clients are not ready for long term spending.

Related articles:

Money Control.com

The Economic Times

Happy Baisakhi 2010: SMS and Greetings for the Festival

It is time for new year in many parts of South Asia. It is the time of Baisakhi Festival 2010. It is perhaps the biggest festival for Sikh people in India and also in Pakistan. Of course, at the same time, people of other religions and other states observe the day as new year in different names.

As for Baishakhi SMS, visit this entry: Baisakhi SMS and greetings

And

Baisakhi Messages

In my own country Bangladesh, we will celebrate Naba Barsha or Pohela Boishakh tomorrow (14 April 2010). For Sikhs, it is a religious festival but for Bengalis, the day is considered to be a festival that binds people of all religions. The same can be said about the Bengali people in West Bengal, Assam and Tripura. In the last few years, people of Bengali origin celebrate Baishakhi Mela in London.

This time, even in Pakistan, the Sikhs are celebrating Baisakhaki in a grand manner.

In Indian state of Assam, it is time of Rongali Bihu while in Nepal, it marks the beginning of the new year. People in Sri Lanka celebrate the time as new year and also in Thailand.

Thus, Baisakhi festival has a huge potential to become a Pan-Asian festival if the decision makers of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand could sit together and decide to celebrate it in really a grand way.  

KFC double down chicken sandwich: Why wont I eat it?

KFC double down chicken sandwich is generating a lot of media buzz today in Internet. It is understandable as many people are searching about it. Some people are saying that this sandwich really isn't bad. I don’t simply care because from my own personal experience, I have realized that I must omit fast food totally. I was a very big fan of fast food for many years and then I got obesity which is not sweet.

So, yes, the picture of KFC double down chicken sandwich looks very attractive to me but I really wish that I never eat this.

I know that many people would like to point out that this sandwich is better than many other fast food items. Still, in the end, to me, it is a fast food item and I really wish to avoid it if I have enough will power. I really miss my childhood days when my eating habit was much better. Today, I ate rice, lentil soup, smashed potato, smashed eggplant and smashed egg. There were some onion and green chilies in them and there was tomato too. It was home made lunch and I enjoyed it with all my heart. 

Details about Sunanda Pushkar: The mysterious owner of IPL Kochi team

Sunanda Pushkar, the mysterious owner of the new IPL Kochi team, is believed to be the third would be wife of Shashi Tharoor. Shashi Tharoor had been married twice before. His first marriage was with Tilottama Mukherji, an academician based in Kolkata. Tharoor used to know her back in her school days in Kolkata. His second marriage was with Christa Giles, a Canadian civil servant. Christa Giles currently works with the United States on disarmament issues. Sunanda Pushkar has her own spa business in Dubai.

It was IPL Chairman, Lalit Modi, who broke out this confidential piece of information by giving out the names of the stake holders in the new IPL franchise. In a Tweeter message, Lalit Modi said,

“I was told not to get into who owns Rendezvous, specially Sunanda Pushkar. Why?”

The new IPL Kochi team has seven owners, they are-

Rendezvous Sports World (25% free)

Rendezvous Sports World (1% purchased)

Anchor (27%)

Parinee (26%)

Film Waves (12%)

Anand Shyam (8%)

Vivek Venugopal (1%).

The Rendezvous Sports World is a consortium which consists of eight members- Kisan, Shailender and Pushpa Gaikwad, Sunanda Pushkar, Puja Gulathi, Jayant Kotalwar, Vishnu Prasad, Sundip Agarwal. Out of the 25% free equity, Sunanda Pushkar holds 18%.

The signing of the franchise agreement took place on April 10, 2010. News reports say that, a union minister called up an IPL official and told not to look for details about Sunanda Pushkar. Later, it was revealed that Sunanda Pushkar is close with Shashi Tharoor and the two were seen together in New Delhi’s social circles for quite some times.

Interestingly, the idea of creating a “five member consortium” to have an IPL team for Kochi was spearheaded by Tharoor himself. Though he mentioned that he has no financial interest, it is now clear that Tharoor had other intentions. The sale price of Kochi IPL team was Rs.1,530 crores and 18% of that amount is a big amount and if it comes out that Tharoor is some how related in the matter will pose a big threat for his political career.

Related articles:

Kishore’s Blog

Devapriyaji’s Blog

DNA

Aktel becomes Robi: Any Change?

I am an Aktel user and I think that I am using a prepaid connection of Aktel since January 2004. So, it is 6 years. I did not have any major problem with the company in the last 6 years and I am not an unhappy customer. So, I really could not understand the sudden change of name from Aktel to Robi. I have no problem with name Robi but instead of any change in name, I would have loved to see the company introduces some new offers to attract the consumers.

For example, in 2005, the company launched Internet through mobile phone in Internet Fair 2005. However, it never took this service seriously and Grameenphone and Citycell benefited. Right now, many people use Internet through Grameenphone and Citycell but not through Robi. So, I would like the company to become aggressive on it.  

As for myself, I really have not seen any change in anything. As a customer of 6 years, I expected that they would give some kind of new offer to us. I am not sad for it either as I am not a mobile phone addict. All I am saying is that where is the change except in name? 

Watch Sania Mirza’s marriage photos online

Sania Mirza marriage photos with Shoaib Malik is the buzz topic on Internet now. Many people are now searching for Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik’s marriage photo.

Here is a video clip of Sania Mirza leaving her residence wearing bride’s dress.

Famous Indian female tennis player, Sania Mirza and Pakistan cricket team ex-captain Shoaib Malik is getting married today. The wedding ceremony was held at Taj Krishna hotel at 1:00 pm. Here is a photo of Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik.

You can also see marriage photos of Sania Mirza in these links:

http://www.arunii.com/2010/04/sania-mirza-marriage-photos-wedding-pics/

http://www.indiasummary.com/2010/04/12/sania-mirza-wedding-photos-sania-mirza-shoaib-malik-marriage-photos/

A small number of people were present at the ceremony. Most of them were close friends and relatives of Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik’s family. Hundreds of people gathered in front of Sania Mirza’s posh residence at Jubilee Hills to get a glimpse of Sania dressed as a bride. Photo journalists from various newspapers and TV channels also gathered in front of the house. Sania Mirza, wearing a red saree, came out of the house and then went to the hotel. She was accompanied by her parents, Imran Mirza and Naseema Mirza and sister Anam Mirza. A close relative described the ceremony as a very simple affair.

Is Nepalese Economy Heading for a Major Crisis?

I just finished reading this report in Nepal news: Economy heading towards crisis: Dr Mahat

This announcement has come from Former Finance Minister Dr Ram Saran Mahat. So, when someone like him says this kind of thing then we have to take it seriously. Mr. Mahat has stated some facts about the economy:

Remittance is down

FDI has decreased around one third

There is a serious liquidity crisis

Export revenue has fallen

All these are serious problems and if they continue then Nepalese economy will surely head for a major crisis. Now, the economy needs some bold initiatives from the government and this is not possible because of the ongoing political instability.

I personally think that political fighting is the major problem for the country. If political stability does not come then the economy will only continue to suffer. 

West Bengal School Service Commission results 2010 is published online

The West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) Result for the post of Assistant teachers under 10TH REGIONAL LEVEL SELECTION TEST (AT), 2009 is out. To know about your result, log on to:

http://www.westbengalssc.com/ssc/pages/result.jsp

The West Bengal School Service Commission was created under the West Bengal School Service Commission Act, 1997 which came into effect from January 11, 1997. The commission overlooks the recruitment of assistant teacher and headmaster/headmistress for the non-government schools of West Bengal. At present, the recruitment process is overlooked by the West Bengal School Service Commission. The State Government later on decided that the recruitment of non-teaching staff such as librarian, clerk and group-D staff including laboratory attendant, peon, night guard, matron in recognized non-government schools in West Bengal will also be overlooked by the West Bengal School Service Commission.

PepsiCo and Tata Tea Joint Venture for Wellness Beverage

Right now, I am suffering from obesity and the first thing that I want to totally leave is drinking Coke or Pepsi. I wish that most people would follow my example in South Asia. Anyway, I am happy to hear that PepsiCo and Tata Tea are forming a joint venture for making some money from wellness beverage segment. The basic idea is to make some healthy drinks for ordinary people. The price will not be much and the drinks will not be bad for health.  

Economic Times reported:

Its likely focus on the lower end of the market will ensure that PepsiCo’s existing global alliance with Unilever to sell Lipton ice tea, which focuses on the mid- to-premium segment, will not be impacted. The new tieup will give PepsiCo the opportunity to be perceived as a wholesome beverages company, not just as a company making fizzy drinks. Tata Tea will get a larger foothold in the wellness beverages segment after an earlier attempt to foray in the category had to be aborted within a year. 

The market for both soft drinks and wellness beverage is increasing rapidly in India. Because of the high GDP growth, this market will only expand for many years to come. 

England Squad for Twenty20 World Cup 2010

This year England cricket team has the best possibility to win the ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2010. Ahead of the shortest version of cricket game, England selectors named a strong 15-man squad where Andy Flower will stay as a coach. Here are the players:

England squad for T20 World Cup 2010: Paul Collingwood (captain), Kevin Pietersen, Michael Lumb, Ravi Bopara, Eoin Morgan, Craig Kieswetter, Michael Yardy, Ajmal Shahzad, Tim Bresnan, Luke Wright, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Ryan Sidebottom, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell.

This team has been put in Group D with West Indies and Ireland. England will start their campaign against Ireland on May 1, 2010 in group stage.

Since the birth of shorter and shortest version of cricket format, England cricket team has not won any cricket world cup. It is shocking because they invented cricket. They will try their best to get one world cup trophy and it can be possible in the third edition of the twenty20 world cup. England cricket team looks very strong compare to other cricket teams. England players’ performances in all forms of cricket game are good enough in recent times. They defeated mighty South Africa and then weak team Bangladesh. England also regained their Ashes trophy at home. Despite their good performance, they failed to hold any good position in any form of cricket ranking.

England hosted the second edition of Twenty20 world cup. Despite being the host team, England could not do well. They went up to the super eight round. It was their best performance in previous two t20 tournaments. It will be interesting to see if they can move further in the upcoming tournament.

Paul Collingwood was named captain of England cricket team. He is a good all rounder. He is an effective right handed middle order batsman and right arm medium pace bowler. It is expected that he will play an important role for his team. Now, millions of fans will eagerly wait to see if he can lead his team to get a world cup trophy for the first time in the history of England cricket.

Michael Lumb is the new inclusion of England squad. This 30-year-old right handed batsman is likely to make his debut in the shortest format of cricket game. He has averaged 34.08 in first class cricket and 32.32 in List A cricket. However, he is also an important player in one of the IPL franchises, Rajasthan Royals.

England has a strong batting line up. Kevin Pietersen is one of the most important batsmen in the squad. He has the experience to play for England in all forms of cricket game. No doubt, he is a big asset for his team. Now, fans will be watching if he can lead the national cricket team successfully.

Ravi Bopara and Michael Yardy have been re-called in the final squad. Their good performance in the county cricket forced the selectors to select them. It is a big challenge for these two players if they can secure their places in the national squad. Ravi Bopara last played against Australia in 2009. On the other hand, Michael Yardy last played against West Indies in 2007. Ravi Bopara is known as a hard hitter batsman. It is important for the shortest version of cricket game.

Craig Kieswetter is another player who has been included in the squad. However, he has already played 3 ODI matches. Now, he is perhaps going to make his T20 debut with this tournament. He has been included as the wicketkeeper ahead of the Matt Prior. The exclusion of Matt Prior shocked me. He is considered as an experienced and important wicketkeeper-batsman in modern times. There is no confusion that Craig Kieswetter will have to struggle a lot to show that his inclusion was not wrong decision. If Craig Kieswetter is injured, then Eoin Morgan will be keeping wicket.

I cannot see any good bowler in England cricket team. It seems that selectors did not give much importance about selecting quality bowlers. However, Graeme Swann is a good bowler in this squad. He is a leading wicket taker. This Offspinner will keep an important role in his team’s victory. Both Stuart Broad and James Anderson are good bowlers. They are the permanent members of England squad.

Let’s see if England cricket team can win this T20 World Cup. I don’t see any possibility for them to win this tournament.

Bangladesh Squad for Twenty20 World Cup 2010

A 15-man squad of Bangladesh cricket team, for the upcoming ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2010, was announced by the Bangladesh Cricket Board. In this squad, only two new players have been included.

Bangladesh Squad for T20 World Cup 2010: Shakib Al Hasan (Captain), Mushfiqur Rahim (Vice-Captain/WK), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mohammad Ashraful, Aftab Ahmed, Mahmudullah, Naeem Islam, Masrafe Bin Mortaza, Abdur Razzak, Shafiul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Syed Rasel, Md. Sohrawordi, Jahirul Islam.

Shakib Al Hasan was named captain and Mushfiqur Rahim vice-captain. All rounder, Shakib Al Hasan, is one of the key players in Bangladesh cricket team. This world number one all rounder in Test cricket will have to carry a big burden this year. For the first time, he is going to lead his national team in any big tournament. Let us see how he performs as captain.

Mushfiqur Rahim is a very young but talented player in Bangladesh cricket team. He has a lot of potential. He is a wicketkeeper and good batsman in the middle order position. No doubt, he will have to play very important role if he wants to take his country in a top position.

The two new players in this squad are Jahirul Islam and Md. Sohrawardi Shuvo. Top-order batsman Jahirul Islam made his Test debut against England earlier this month. He was the highest run scorer in the first class cricket. He is capable of playing big shots. He has made his place in the squad after showing his consistent performance over the years at first-class, academy and club level of cricket game. He has been placed as an alternative opener and wicketkeeper.

Md. Sohrawardi Shuvo is an all rounder. He made his international debut against England in the recently concluded home series. It is expected that he will be an effective all rounder with the bat and ball. He was named captain of the Bangladesh U19 squad.

Fast bowler, Masrafe Bin Mortaza, and hard hitter batsman, Mohammad Ashraful, have been recalled in the national squad. Masrafe Bin Mortaza is the main bowler in Bangladesh cricket team. He is also a good batsman in the lower order position. He was out of the squad for a long time because of his injury. Since returning from injury, he played the opening ODI match against England. He is now totally fit. We will see him again in the field. His inclusion in the main squad will boost Bangladesh cricket team’s confidence.

Mohammad Ashraful is one of the most experienced players in this 15 players list. He has the experience to play the last two versions of T20 World Cup. Thinking about his experience and skill, selectors selects him. It is expected that he will regain his form in this shortest version of cricket game. You should know that Mohammad Ashraful is facing a tough time. He is not in his prime form. Because of his bad performance, he had been excluded from both Test and ODI squad against England. No doubt, he is the big hope for Bangladesh cricket fans. It will be interesting to see if he can bring some momentum in the game.

Aftab Ahmed is the only rebel player who has been selected for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Aftab Ahmed is well known for his hard hitting batting style. However, he was banned by the BCB after joining unauthorized Indian Cricket League (ICL). However, he finished his contract with ICL and return to the national cricket.

Another rebel player, Alok Kapali, could not find his place in the final squad. His exclusion from the squad made me surprise. He is very talented batsman. He played well in ICL and scored a hundred.

Bowling line up in Bangladesh cricket team looks neither good nor bad. Four pace bowlers have been chosen for this tournament. They are: Masrafe Bin Mortaza, Shafiul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Syed Rasel. Shafiul Islam played only one T20 match against New Zealand. Abdur Razzak is the only spinner in the players list. They are not good bowler but they can make strong protest against the opponent teams.

Bangladesh cricket team has been put in Group A with the defending Champion, Pakistan, and Australia. It is obviously a strong group. Fans will be waiting to see if Bangladesh cricket team can make upset against any of the two teams in group round. Bangladesh will first face Pakistan on May 1, 2010. This match will be played at the Beausejour Stadium in St Lucia.

A day of Blogging about South Asia

As I am a professional blogger, I have to write about several topics in several blogs. For example, yesterday, I wrote 5 entries in 5 blogs. Today, I am going to write only in this blog: South Asia Blog. Right now, in my city, load shedding (power cut) is at its worst. Yesterday, there was no electricity for 8 hours. I have a laptop but it works only for 30 minutes. I made a very big mistake when I bought the laptop one year ago. I should have gone for a laptop that works for at least 3 hours.

Anyway, I am going to write only in this blog today. So, if you are by any chance reading this entry and visiting this blog now, try to come back later in the day to get some more entries. Hopefully, we can update it a lot today.

By the way, I was listening to this song now in YouTube: Tere Bina Zindagi Se Koi

If you have time then listen to it. It is very beautiful.